Wakefield rolls out new sustainability laws
Wakefield made big strides in the fight against single-use plastic pollution in 2021, with a new law that targets plastic straws, cutlery, bags, and polystyrene packaging.
Thin-plastic checkout bags were already prohibited in Wakefield. The updated law closes loopholes on thick plastic bags, and incorporates more types of disposable plastic. The key points of Wakefield’s new laws are:
Food establishments cannot offer single-use plastic drinking straws, stirrers, or cutlery to customers but may furnish them if requested by a customer.
No business, including retail, grocery stores, and restaurants, can provide plastic bags for any purchases, including takeout and food leftovers, even if those bags are over 2.25 mils.
Food establishments cannot dispense food or beverages in disposable food containers made from foam or rigid polystyrene.
Retail establishments are prohibited from selling or distributing disposable food containers or packing material made from foam or rigid polystyrene to customers.
The Wakefield law reduces waste and plastic pollution, as well as protects public health from exposure to the chemicals in polystyrene and other plastics.
Melrose has similar laws. Plastic checkout bags were banned in 2018, and a 2019 law made plastic straws “by request” only. Starting in 2022, polystyrene food and beverage containers are also banned in Melrose.
While local bans on single-use plastic gained momentum over the last 10 years, the real solution to our waste problems may be Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). EPR laws make companies (producers) pay for the recycling and disposal of their products—-not municipalities or taxpayers. As reported by Beveridge & Diamond, EPR legislation places the responsibility for treatment and disposal of certain consumer products on producers, manufacturers, and retailers. EPR policies are gaining momentum as states are faced with an increasing amount of waste. States use EPR legislation to promote recycling efforts and require producers to develop takeback programs and more sustainable product designs. Maine emerged in 2021 as a national leader when it passed the nation’s first EPR law. Massachusetts lawmakers have the chance in 2022 to catch up with “An Act To Save Recycling Costs in the Commonwealth”. The proposed legislation helps reduce all types of packaging waste and improves recycling by creating a ‘polluter pays’ model of Producer Responsibility for packaging and printed paper. Producers fully fund residential and school collection and recovery of materials they use and sell. Beyond taxpayer dollars, these laws are essential to mitigate climate change. Plastic production is forecast to consume 20% of all oil produced by 2050.
While we work toward bigger changes at the state and federal level, congratulations to Wakefield for taking action.
